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2020 @AustralianOpen Week 1 Women’s Preview, Predictions, Long Shot R1 Picks

Posted by Admin on January 19, 2020
Posted in: Australian Open, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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2020 Australian Open Week 1 Women’s Preview, Predictions, Long Shot R1 Picks
Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic

It’s been a bummer summer down under: On the upside, Serena Williams ended a three-year title drought by winning in Auckland, and the leftovers of the Hopman Cup produced some exciting matches. The downside: No Hopman Cup, and the optics of players having to retire due to smoke from devastating bush fires at qualifying in Melbourne. It’s not a good look when you’re supposed to be in the business of protecting your hard assets, the players, by playing dumb during a natural disaster.

And that’s exactly what Tennis Australia has done. Perhaps the Australian tournaments have given Ozzies something to take their mind off of the daily troubles of worrying about their friends and loved ones. The Australian Open has dealt with the disaster on a reactionary basis, waiting for players to speak out before they do. My heart goes out to Australia and a Shake-My-Damn-Head goes out to Tennis Australia.

In the meantime, let’s turn the page on pre-Open action, get this major on and get this sport out of here so this country can get back to recovery.

Alas, the first “jewel” of the Grand Slam is upon us.

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Whether Serena William’s title in Auckland will break the floodgates here and get her back to Grand Slam glory remains to be seen. As close as she has been in New York in back-to back years tells me it’s been a cerebral condition and flat out, I expect to see her in the semifinals at worst.

Who’s quarter is this anyway?

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Naomi Osaka is the #3 seed, and she’ll be tested if she wants to reach the semis. After an opening round match against Marie Bouzkova, she’ll likely square off against Saisai Zhang before heading to the third round against one of Venus Williams, Coco Gauff, Sorana Cirstea or Barbora Strycova. I’ll predict that she’ll face Cirstea in R3 before falling to Serena Williams in the quarters.

Serena’s path is far more manageable than Osaka’s to win the section. After an opening round match against Anastasia Potapova, Williams may face Qiang Wang for a second round win. In the third round, I’ll go with Dayana Yastremska after surviving Johanna Konta in the second round. A win over Yastremska to reach the quarters is no easy feat, but Williams should prevail.

R4: Osaka d. Kenin
R4: Williams d. Yastremska
QF: Williams vs. Osaka

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2020 Adelaide champion Ashleigh Barty has a surprisingly easy ride to the semifinals in her quarter. Her main challengers, Petra Kvitova and Madison Keys, face difficult early round contests and it will be impressive if Kvitova and Keys can even make it to the quarterfinals.

R4: Barty d. Riske
R4: Kvitova d. Linette
QF: Barty vs. Kvitova

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Simona Halep’s section of the draw is also a glide path to the quarterfinals, provided she gets by the plucky Jen Brady in R1, which I expect. Belinda Bencic should face her in the quarters of what would shape up to be an upset free quarter of the draw, but I’m going with Kontaveit to upset her in the third round before Kontaveit loses to Sabalenka in the fourth round. Just a hunch here.

R4: Sabalenka d. Kontaveit
R4: Halep d. Muchova
QF: Halep vs. Sabalenka

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Karolina Pliskova already has a trophy in the bag this year with a 3rd Brisbane title. That’s good for her because the draw is filled with spoilers. World #6 Elina Svitolina is the least of her problems should she reach the final.

Pliskova starts with the unpredictable Kristina Mladenovic. A second round match would see her facing the winner of the Siegemund-Vandeweghe contest. After that, she could hit a speed bump against Pavlyucheckova, Vondrousova, Giorgi, or even Kuznetsova.

R4: Bertens d. Svitolina
R4: Vondrousova d. Pliskova
QF: Vondrousova vs. Bertens

And finally, it’s time for a new segment called “Potentially Worthy Picks”. These are big upset bets with big paydays. Remember that this is for amusement purposes only, and if you actually place a real bet and it doesn’t win, please don’t flame me on twitter.

Potentially Worthy First Round Upset Picks

Viktoria Kuzmova (+300) d. Julia Goerges
Daria Kasatkina (+420) d. Madison Keys
Fiona Ferro (+180) d. Van Uytvanck
Sorana Cirstea (+140) d. Barbora Strycova

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Will Auckland Become @CocoGauff Land? 2020 @WTA @ASB_Classic Auckland Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on January 5, 2020
Posted in: Auckland, Australian Open, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Will Auckland Become @CocoGauff Land? 2020 @WTA @ASB_Classic Auckland Preview, Predictions
Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic

Coco Gauff (Photo: Citi Open)

Or will it be like old times again with Serena and Wozniacki meeting in the final?

The 2020 Coco Gauff tour is almost underway. The ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand is stacked with the aforementioned former grand slam champions and a dose of the youth movement. Not too shabby for a WTA International level event.

Gauff, who is amazingly still 15 years old, looks to play her first pro match down under. It’s hard to believe that she made her pro debut just last year in Miami before shocking the world with stellar play at Wimbledon and the US Open.  Down Under has been patiently waiting for a chance to join her carnival of tennis enthusiasm. Gauff will have a tough opening round match against 21-year-old Slovakian Viktoria Kuzmova, where she’s a favored -149, and assuming Gauff prevails, she’ll likely face Serena Williams in Round 2.

Svetlana Kuznetsova (Photo: (C) 2014 Chris Levy @tennis_shots for TennisEastCoast.com)

Svetlana Kuznetsova (Photo: (C) 2014 Chris Levy @tennis_shots for TennisEastCoast.com)

Or will she? Outside of the American teen sensation, all the buzz is about the first-round match between grand slam champs with a lot of mutual history. Serena Williams and Sveta Kuznetsova have met 13 times, and although Serena holds a 10-3 edge on the 2004 US Open champ, anyone who follows women’s tennis knows that Kuznetsova can beat anyone when she’s in form. With Serena at -400 in the match, this could be a nice upset pick.

Amanda Anisimova’s quarter co-stars Caroline Garcia, who should meet in the quarterfinals with Anisimova advancing to a semifinal against Serena Williams. Garcia’s game hasn’t inspired a lot of confidence lately, and she’s even money against Taylor Townsend in the opening round. I’m going to stand by Garcia, though, as she’d only need to beat the winner of Flipkens-Bouchard to reach the quarters.

Wozniacki

Julia Goerges is the 4 seed and her quarter is shared by 5th seeded Caroline Wozniacki. It’s highly likely that they’ll meet in the quarterfinals here, a rematch of last year’s Auckland final. I expect Wozniacki to fight right up through her supposed final grand slam in Melbourne Park to go out with a bang and I’d take her to advance to a semifinal and to contest Serena Williams in the final.

Petra Martic doesn’t get any respect as a top 20 player, as least not from me yet. I’ve been watching her fail to qualify or get knocked out of the first round of too many tournaments to mention. And her quarter is full of spoilers, like Alize Cornet, Bec Peterson, Alison Van Uytvanck and American Cici Bellis. I see Bellis surprising Martic in the quarterfinals before falling to Wozniacki in the semis. That said, the oddsmakers have installed Martic as a -149 favorite in her opener against Van Uytvanck. You’d expect a little more confidence in a 2 seed.

The fans in Auckland should get a two-fer, as they’ll see a Serena Williams-Coco Gauff battle, but they should also be so fortunate as to be gifted a blast from the past final, with Serena Williams besting Caroline Wozniacki to win her first tour title of any kind since the memorable 2017 Australian Open.

Stephens Survives Scare from Kalinina; Venus Gets by Giorgi, Does Her Part For a Friday Williams Sisters Showdown

Posted by Admin on August 29, 2018
Posted in: US Open, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment


Sloane Stephens didn’t look happy when she took the court on Arthur Ashe Stadium at noon today for her second round US Open match in New York. That look got worse as she dropped four of the first five games to Anhelina Kalinina. After a bathroom break to start the second set, Stephens play improved somewhat, and she tenuously won the second set 7-5. In the third, Kalinina’s play fell flat and Stephens was clearly in the groove for the 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 match that lasted two hours and forty five minutes on the blazing courts.

Stephens plays Vika Azarenka in the third round on Friday.

Venus Williams, 2018 US Open (Getty)
Meanwhile, Venus Williams was battling Camila Giorgi and was able to finish off the Italian in two sets to get off of Armstrong so she can prepare for her third round match ton Friday, likely against little sister Serena. The final was 6-4, 7-5.

After the match, Venus waxed poetic about playing on the new stadium. “It’s great to play out here on Louis Armstrong, the court is named after a legend,” she said. “I’m really pumped to win here today against an inspired opponent.”

She doesn’t check the draw, but she didn’t have to, since it’s all the buzz in New York.

“I don’t know, you gotta play who you have to play. When you’re in the draw, all you think about is winning your match.”

That said, she recalled her last meeting with Serena at the 2017 Australian Open. “Last time, it was two on one, so at least this time it’ll be fair,” she said.

Halep’s First Grand Slam Title: 2018 @RolandGarros @WTA Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on May 26, 2018
Posted in: French Open, Niall Clarke, Paris, Roland Garros, WTA. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

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Halep’s First Grand Slam Title: 2018 Roland Garros Women’s Singles Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

The clay season concludes with the second grand slam of the year. The French Open has arrived with Jelena Ostapenko looking to defend her crown whilst six players fight for the world number one. Will we see another shock winner, or will one of the elite step up to take the crown? Did I mention Serena returns? There is plenty to look at in our draw preview for Roland Garros.

Top Quarter:
The French Open has been the kindest grand slam to Simona Halep, but it has also been the cruellest. Twice a finalist, twice a runner-up, the Romanian will be hoping to go one further this year. Alison Riske is first up, but the first major challenge will come against Kristina Mladenovic in round three. The Frenchwoman is always dangerous in front of a supporting crowd, and she made the quarter final last year herself. Projected for the round of 16 is rising Belgian Elise Mertens who is fats becoming a staple in the top 20. The 16th seed has some tough matches in front of her, including a third round match against the tricky Daria Gavrilova should things go by the seedings. The Aussie has some tough names herself to get through such as Sorana Cirstea then the winner of Bernarda Pera and Elena Vesnina.

Caroline Garcia is one of the six player show can become worlds number one this tournament, and after a consistent clay court season she has is positioned to potentially go very deep at her home grand slam. The Frenchwoman struggled under the pressure here, but last year’s quarter final showing may have been a turning point. Garcia’s path is rather easy until the fourth round where she could face the in-form Kiki Bertens or Angelique Kerber. They are set to meet in the third round in what could be a good match between two of the tour’s best defenders. Garcia has had her struggles with both recently, but will the home crowd give her an edge should she meet one of them here?

A Halep vs Garcia quarter final on Phillipe Chatrier could be fireworks and I think we may head in that direction. The Frenchwoman has turned a corner in her home grand slam, but is it enough to go really deep? Halep may be the best claycourter in the world on her day and she may prove to be too tough of a hurdle for Garcia to pass.

Prediction: Halep def. Garcia

pliskova-2016

Second Quarter:
For Garbine Muguruza, the French Open brings back some fond memories. She announced herself on tour by thrashing Serena Williams here, then went on to beat her again in the final a few years later to claim her first grand slam crown. Her quest for a second Roland Garros title starts with a rough match against another former champion in Svetlana Kuznetsova. The Russian has not played much this year but she is still a difficult match to start with. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is the first seed the Spaniard could come across with big serving Coco Vandeweghe projected for round four. The American struggles on clay though, so she could be ousted in the first round by Laura Siegemund. This is a really open section of the draw and one where an unseeded player such as Kuznetsova or a returning Bencic could make some waves.

The second half of this quarter is where the major interest lies. Karolina Pliskova is the seed, but she is not the story as Maria Sharapova and a returning Serena (who ironically plays Kristyna Pliskova first) have also landed in this part of the draw. The sixth seed will likely meet Sharapova in the third round as both have a relatively light draw until that point. Julia Goerges is the projected fourth round for the winner, but the German has a tough opener against Dominika Cibulkova and a possible meeting with Serena in round three. Pliskova will need all her new-found clay court prowess to get through this draw.

And I believe she might. Sharapova has shown signs of improvement but she is still not the player she was, and we can not expect much out of Serena after a long layoff. Pliskova made the semi finals here last year, so we know she is capable at Roland Garros. The question is, who awaits in the quarter finals? A lot depends on which Muguruza turns up, and whilst that could decide the quarter, I am picking the safer option of Pliskova here.

Prediction: Pliskova def. Muguruza

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Third Quarter:
Elina Svitolina’s 2017 campaign ended in a heartbreaking way for the Ukrainian, so she will look to put that right when she aims not only to win Roland Garros but become number one in the world. As one of the steadiest players in the draw, Svitolina is a good bet as one of the contenders, but she has struggled for that grand slam breakthrough. The Ukrainian has a good draw to the quarter finals though with not many dangerous clay courters standing in her way. Madison Keys is projected for round four, but she will likely not even make it that far, which could leave the door open for Naomi Osaka to make the last 16. Svitolina is a huge favourite to get out of this section however, and it will be a huge shock if she loses before the quarter finals.

Awaiting the Ukrainian could be the defending champion Ostapenko. The Latvian shocked the world with her performance here last year, and she will be looking for a repeat when she defends her title. She has a much tougher round ahead than Svitolina as Victoria Azarenka could await in round two then Barbora Strycova projected for round three. With Johanna Konta’s and Venus Williams’ struggles on clay, we could get an unseeded player such as Petra Martic and Qiang Wang in the round of 16.

It will be very difficult for Ostapenko to defend her French Open title with this draw, and even if she does make the last eight, she will have to battle to get there. Svitolina has a relatively simple draw to navigate and I expect the Ukrainian to make it out of this quarter.

Prediction: Svitolina def. Ostapenko

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Bottom Quarter:
Caroline Wozniacki finally broke her Grand Slam duck in Melbourne, so for the first time ever the Dane enters a major as a grand slam champion. Clay ahs never been Wozniacki’s best surface though, even with her defensive orientated style of play. The world number two has a potentially tough round one against Collins with former finalist Timea Bacsinszky possibly awaiting Wozniacki in round two. The Dane could face a hostile crowd in round three as she is projected to meet Alize Cornet there, but she has former finalist Sara Errani then Pauline Parmentier in her two matches prior to a possible Wozniacki meeting. Round four could get very interesting with promising Russian Daria Kasatkina seeded to meet her in the round of 16. Kasatkina has the dangerous Kaia Kanepi in round one though with Kirsten Flipkens possibly awaiting in round two. Carla Suarez Navarro is the round of 32 projected opponent, but she has a tough draw too with Ana Konjuh and Maria Sakkari in her section.

Petra Kvitova has found some big form this season and even won the title in Madrid in the build-up to this tournament. The Czech’s draw looks pretty good with an out of form Anett Kontaveit projected for round three and not too many dangerous unseeded players lurking. Sloane Stephens has also landed in this section, but her form on the clay has not been brilliant. Anastasija Sevastova could await the American in the third round.

There could be some upsets in this section with a few of the seeds not being at their best on the clay. Wozniacki may be the biggest casualty as I could see her losing out to Kasatkina in round four, but I think Kvitova will not suffer that same fate and will make it to the semi finals.

Prediction: Kvitova def. Kasatkina
Semis/Final Predictions:

Halep def. Pliskova
Kvitova def. Svitolina
Final: Halep def. Kvitova

It is a hard one to call as nobody stands out above the rest in this draw, but I am going with Halep to break her duck. Third time could possibly be a charm for her when it comes to French Open finals.

2017 Indian Wells Women’s Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on March 8, 2017
Posted in: ATP, BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2017 Indian Wells Women’s Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

kerber-2016

 

The BNP Paribas Open was set to be a battle for the world number one spot between Angelique Kerber and Serena Williams, but Serena’s withdrawal means that the German is now the new world number one. That does not take anything away from what should be an exciting tournament, and we have your run down of the draw.

Top Quarter:
Serena’s withdrawal means Karolina Pliskova is not the second seed. Like the others seeds, the Czech has a bye in the opening round and will kick off her tournament in the second. There are some tough matches ahead for Pliskova, including Monica Puig who she is due to face in the second round. Irina Begu is the first seed Pliskova will face with Timea Bacsinszky being the projected fourth round opponent. The Swiss has Kiki Bertens in her section, but she has a tough second match against the winner of Tsvetana Pironkova and Belinda Bencic. There are many threats to the second seed in her section, and while it will not be a shocker if she is upset in the early rounds, Pliskova should have too much quality and make it to the last eight.
Garbine Muguruza is out of form and has recently been injured, so her Indian Wells ambitions may be lower than usual. The Spaniard should be able to make round three where she is due to face the dangerous Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. The uncertainty surrounding the seventh seed means that Elina Svitolina will be the favourite to make it to the last eight In this section. The Ukrainian has a good draw, too, with Daria Gavrilova being the only player that can cause an upset before the fourth round.

Pliskova and Svitolina will likely meet in the quarter finals for the sixth time, and the stats favour the Czech. Pliskova has won all five meetings, and it is difficult to see past her here.
Prediction: Pliskova def. Svitolina
Second Quarter:
Dominika Cibulkova has been bumped to fourth seed as she eyes another big title. The Slovak will be favourite to make the final four from this quarter, but she has a tough draw ahead, starting with the winner of Jelena Ostapenko vs Danka Kovinic. The highly touted Russian, Daria Kasatkina, will look to spring another upset when she faces Cibulkova in round three, with the winner possibly going on to meet Barbora Strycova in round four. The Czech could face Sara Errani, who she has previously struggled against in the second round and then Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in round three, so an upset is not out of the question.
Svetlana Kuznetsova is the other top eight seed in the section, but the ever unpredictable Russian’s tournament is once again hard to call. Kuznetsova should be OK to make round four with Camila Giorgi and Roberta Vinci being her likely opponents in rounds two and three. Johanna Konta is back in action after recent injury issues, and due to her recent inactivity it is hard to call how well she will do here. She could face fellow Brit Heather Watson in round two before being scheduled against the out of form Caroline Garcia in round three. The Frenchwoman’s struggles could leave the door open for Christina McHale to make the third round. Konta should make it through to round four, but may find Kuznetsova too much.
Cibulkova leads the head to head 6-3 against the Russian, but this match-up will largely depend on form. Cibulkova will be the favourite, but the slow courts may favour Kuznetsova and I am feeling a good run for the former grand slam champion.

Prediction: Kuznetsova def. Cibulkova

keys
Third Quarter:
Madison Keys returns to action this week after missing the start of the season with injury. The American is the eighth seed here and will be keen to make an impression, but don’t expect too much in her first tournament back. Keys has a good opener against a qualifier to get her rhythm back, but from there is gets tricky. The American’s likely exit will be at the hands of Caroline Wozniacki in round four. The Dane is in good form and should be comfortable until her round three match with Carla Suarez Navarro. It is hard to look past Wozniacki due to her good start to the season and Keys being rusty after a long layoff.
Simona Halep’s season has yet to really get going, so the fourth seed will be looking to use this tournament to get into form. The Romanian opens against Alison Riske or Donna Vekic before facing the in-form Kristina Mladenovic. The Frenchwoman has had a positive start to 2017 and could spring an upset against an out of form Halep. Mladenovic is not terribly reliable though, and I see Halep outlasting the 28 seed.
With form being on Wozniacki’s side, I see the Dane making the last eight at Halep’s expense. If the fourth seed can play her way into form, then she will likely make it to the semis, but it is hard to make that call.
Prediction: Wozniacki def. Halep

radwanska
Fourth Quarter:
Kerber comes into Indian Wells safe with the knowledge that she is the world number one, and that must take some pressure off. The German has a good draw to the quarter finals with a lot of the dangerous seeds being in the other half of the draw. She opens against Andrea Petkovic or Vania king with Yulia Putintseva being the first seed projected. Elena Vesnina’s form is not the best, so she could exit early at the hands of Shelby Rogers or Timea Babos. Either way, it is difficult to see past Kerber making the last eight.
Agnieszka Radwanska needs to find form, and Indian Wells is a perfect place to do so. The Pole has some tough players ahead of her however, so it will be interesting to see if she can get past Ekaterina Makarova in round two and promising youngster Ana Konjuh in round three. From there she will likely face an American. Coco Vandeweghe and Venus Williams are projected to meet in round three, but I think Radwanska will scrape through to the last eight.
Kerber vs Radwanska will be a big match for both players as they search for form. Kerber will have the advantage though and I am picking the German to make the last four.
Prediction: Pliskova def. Strycova

Semi Finals:
Kuznetsova def. Pliskova
Kerber def. Wozniacki

Kerber’s form at the moment makes it so difficult to predict her matches, but this time the German should turn it around and make the final. Pliskova is a favourite against Kuznetsova, but the Russian can play well enough to win the whole thing. I see a good run on the horizon, so I predict a Kerber vs Kuznetsova final.

Final:
Kerber def. Kuznetsova
Kuznetsova will have a great week in Indian Wells but ultimately fall short to the world number one who looks much better this time.

Serena Beats Venus For Record 23rd Grand Slam Title

Posted by Admin on January 28, 2017
Posted in: Australian Open, Niall Clarke. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Serena Beats Venus For Record 23rd Grand Slam Title
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

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Serena Williams made history by claiming an open era 23rd Grand slam title by defeating sister Venus Williams to win the 2017 Australian Open.

The second seed won 6-4, 6-4 to surpass Steffi Graf’s previous open era record of 22 major titles and return to number one in the world rankings. Margaret Court still holds the professional tennis record with 24 grand slam wins.

It was a crazy Australian Open draw which saw many of the top seeds fall early. But one kept going through the draw without dropping a set, and that was Serena. The world number two looked more like her dominant self on the way to final and entered the match was a big favourite against sister Venus.

Despite the odds, the 35 year old’s tension was apparent. Serena smashed a racket early and received a code violation as a result of her frustration. She had broken serve twice in the early proceedings but handed the advantage straight back each time. However the set was decided with another break for Serena  to move 4-3 ahead, and she went out to close the set 6-4.

The second set was much more serve dominated than the first, but it was Venus who was under constant pressure. The world number 17 had to recover from 0-40 in the third game of the set, but she could not hold out for much longer as Serena finally secured the break of serve. The Rod Laver crowd were firmly behind Venus, who has not won a major title in eight years, and she threatened an unlikely comeback in the last game. The world number two recovered from 15-30 though to secure a record breaking 23rd grand slam title, and who will stop her getting more?

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For Venus, this was an excellent two weeks in which she may have just seen her last chance of winning a major title slip away. But I am sure Venus will be happy for her sister despite the loss. She continues to defy the odds and continues to play at the top of the game at 36 years old.

“Congratulations Serena on number 23,” said Venus to Channel 7.

“I have been right there with you, some of them I lost right there against you. It’s been an awesome win.

“I’m enormously proud of you, you mean the world to me. I, God willing, would love to come back. Thank you for all the love.”

Serena paid tribute to her sister, citing her as the her inspiration in her winners speech.

“There’s no way I would be at 23 without her. There’s no way I’d be at one without her. She’s my inspiration.

“She’s the only reason I’m standing here today. She’s the only reason the Williams sisters exist. Thank you for inspiring me. Every time you won this week, I felt like I got a win too.”

 

2017 Australian Open Women’s Preview and Predictions

Posted by Admin on January 14, 2017
Posted in: Australian Open, Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2017 Australian Open Women’s Preview and Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

The draw has been made, the excitement is building and the first grand slam of the year is just days from getting started. Angelique Kerber is the top seed and defending champion of the Australian Open, can she defend her title? Or will somebody else step up to the face whether new or familiar? Here is a run down of the draw.

Top Quarter:

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Kerber’s start to 2017 has not be great as she faced early exits in Brisbane and Sydney, but this is a grand slam in which she is the defending champion, so the motivation will be multiplied. The German starts her campaign against Lesia Tsurenko, a player who took the top seed the distance in the build up to the tournament. Kerber’s section is full of dangerous unseeded players such as Yaroslava Shvedova and Kristyna Pliskova, both of which may fancy themselves to take advantage of an out of sorts Irina Begu in the opening rounds. The fourth round could bring on a rematch with Daria Kastakina who stunned the world number one in Sydney. The young Russian is one of the most promising players on tour, and with a good draw against Roberta Vinci in the third round, Kasatkina could find herself making the second week.

Garbine Muguruza is about as predictable as the weather in Britain. One day she looks like a future world number one, the next she barely looks top 100. Either way this is quite a kind draw for the Spaniard who will play Marina Erakovic in round one. The first seed projected is an Anastasija Sevastova who is on a seven match losing streak… ouch. Muguruza could end up facing compatriot, friend and doubles partner Carla Suarez Navarro in the fourth round. She too has a good draw to last 16 with Shuai Zhang being the biggest threat. An all Spanish affair is on the cards for the round of 16 with Muguruza looking good for at least the quarter finals.

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Many fans will be hoping for a Kerber-Muguruza quarter final, and that is likely to happen. Kasatkina is perhaps the biggest threat to that match, but her vs Muguruza is no less interesting. With the seventh seed it is difficult to predict which version will show up, so the safe bet is on Kerber making the semi finals.

Prediction: Kerber def. Muguruza

Second Quarter:

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With the tour being so wide open, there is a good chance of Simona Halep breaking through the glass ceiling and claiming her maiden slam. The Romanian has a good draw in front of her, can she take advantage? The first real test should come in the form of Monica Puig in the third round. The Puerto Rican has the power to blast through the strong defence of Halep. Speaking of power, Venus Williams packs plenty and she will be hoping for one last shot at grand slam glory. Like Halep, the American has a good draw to the round of 16 with the third round against Kiki Bertens being the toughest challenge. The chances of a Halep vs Venus clash for a spot in the quarter finals are quite high and that would be a high profile showdown.

Svetlana Kuznetsova is a potential dark horse here and out of the four possible semi final opponents, she got the best one. The Russian is no known for remarkable consistency but on her day she can beat anyone on tour. The path to the fourth round should be simple enough with Laura Siegemund being the other seeded player in that mini section. Elina Svitolina in the last 16 is where things get real interesting. The Ukrainian is still highly touted to make a breakthrough at any time now, and this could the tournament to do it. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is her toughest test before Kuznetsova. The winner of that fourth round match may fancy their chances of making the last four.

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This is a tough section to call as the two projected fourth round matches could go either way. Venus is capable of beating Halep, but on a slower surface you would favour the Romanian to get through. Svitolina vs Kuznetsova is a toss up, but the Ukrainian has beaten Kuznetsova here before so she can do it again. I feel this could be a good tournament for the youngster, and she could beat Halep and make the final four, so I am going out on a limb and predicting Svitolina to advance.

Prediction: Svitolina def. Halep

Third Quarter:

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The third quarter is perhaps the most stacked of all and promises a very interesting quarter final between Agnieszka Radwanska and Karolina Pliskova. First they must get through a tough draw of players though, kicking off with Tsvetana Pironkova for the Pole. Radwanska has some tough floaters in her draw including Mirjana Lucic-Baroni who is a potential second round foe. Alize Cornet had a good run in Brisbane so comes into Melbourne with form on her side and could give Radwanska a tough match in the third round. The fourth round will likely be against Elena Vesnina, but the Russian has struggled with form in the build up to the tournament. Sam Stosur will be hoping for a good run at home, but her record in Australia is not good, so it may be a good chance for an unseeded player such as Heather Watson, Joanna Larsson or Magda Linette to make the fourth round.

Pliskova is the form player heading into the Australian Open after a good run of play saw her lift the Brisbane trophy at the start of the season. The Czech has a fair draw to the fourth round with Monica Niculescu and Yulia Putintseva being the most difficult tests. The last 16is where things get interesting as there are a number of players in this mini-section capable of making an impact. Timea Bacsinszky and Daria Gavrilova are the seeds, but will they manage to compete against each other in the third round? Gavrilova faces Naomi Broady then possibly up and comer Ana Konjuh in the second round. The Swiss faces the dangerous Camila Giorgi in the opening round so there are plenty of upset chances on the cards. However, Pliskova is expected to make it through this section, problems or not.

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Radwanska vs Pliskova is difficult to call, but the match lies in the hands of the fifth seed. If Pliskova is on point with her power then it will be difficult for Radwanska to resist. If not then the Pole will win the match by virtue of consistency. Given how well Pliskova played in Brisbane, it is difficult to look past her getting through here.

Prediction: Pliskova def. Radwanska

Bottom Quarter:

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Serena Williams’ dominance of the WTA tour came to an end in 2016 as she was dethroned by Kerber as the best female tennis player in the world. 2017 will see the 22 time Grand Slam champion look to not only reassert her dominance, but also make history, starting in Melbourne. Serena will still be the favourite in most peoples minds despite being the second seed, but she could have hardly asked for a tougher opening match. Belinda Bencic, a player who knows what it takes to beat her, will kick off he world number two’s campaign. It does not get much easier with former French open finalist Lucie Safarova possibly awaiting in the second round and the big serving Timea Babos the first seed Williams will likely come across. From there Serena will likely go on to face Barbora Strycova or Caroline Garcia, two talented but very different players who can cause trouble in many ways. To say Serena will have to earn her place in the quarter finals is an understatement.

Dominika Cibulkova knows what it takes to reach the final in Melbourne, and with a bit of luck she might like her chances of repeating that feat in 2017. Her draw looks pretty good with Ekaterina Makarova in round three being the toughest predicted opponent until the fourth stage. There she could meet in form Brit, Johanna Konta. The ninth seed was superb in Sydney where she captured the title so comes into Melbourne full of confidence. She has a tricky opener against Kirtsen Flipkens and a possible match with talented Japanese youngster Naomi Osaka in round two. All eyes will be on a potential round three clash with Caroline Wozniacki though. This is one of the most anticipated third round matches looking at the draw, and the winner could reach the quarter finals and a potential meeting with Serena.

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Williams feels vulnerable in this section because there are plenty of players who are capable of upsetting her in every round. British fans will be interested in my predicted quarter final of Serena vs Konta, but I feel they will not like the result. Serena struggles but advances through this section to meet Pliskova in the semi finals.

Prediction: Serena def. Konta

Semi Finals

I have gone on a limb and predicted Svitolina to make her first grand slam semi final, but it is difficult to see her progressing any further. It is likely the pressure will get to the Ukrainian, the same pressure in which Kerber thrived on last year. Their head to head is close and Svitolina did win their Brisbane clash, but this is a different stage and I see Kerber prevailing

Prediction: Kerber def. Svitolina

Pliskova pulled off one of 2016’s stunning upsets by defeating Serena at the US Open to make her maiden Grand Slam final. The question on whether she can do it again will be at large, but the thing with the American is, she always seems to win the next big meeting. I can see it being a close match, but this time I feel Serena edges it.

Prediction: Serena def. Pliskova

Final:
So it will end up being a repeat of the 2016 final as Serena faces Kerber. The German pulled off a stunning display a year a go to win her maiden slam, a performance that kicked off an incredible year for the world number one, in which she went on to make the Wimbledon final and win the US Open. She lost to Serena in that very Wimbledon final though, and the world number two had seemingly made some adjustments to counter Kerber. It is a tough one to predict, but I am going with Serena based off their last big meeting. I will not be shocked to see Kerber do it again, and I will not be shocked if Serena does not even make the final. But I am going to predict her to win Grand Slam number 23 in Melbourne.

Predicton: Serena Williams def. Kerber

2017 WTA Auckland, Brisbane, Shenzhen Previews and Predictions

Posted by Admin on December 31, 2016
Posted in: Auckland, Australian Open, Brisbane, Shenzen, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2017 WTA Auckland, Brisbane, Shenzhen Previews and Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

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The 2017 season kicks off with a trio of events spanning three different countries as the preparation for the Australian Open begins. Here is what in store in the opening week of the new season.

Auckland

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The Williams sisters are making a rare venture to New Zealand for the ASB Classic in Auckland where they will be the top seeds. Serena and Venus will therefore be unable to face each other before the final, but the older sibling has Caroline Wozniacki in her half.

Top Quarter:

Serena opens her 2017 account against Pauline Parmentier in the opening round. The American is in search of the number one ranking yet again after losing that spot to Angelique Kerber last year. The winner faces either Madison Brengle or a qualifier in round two. Jelena Ostapenko is the other seed in the section and is scheduled to face Serena in the quarter finals if she can get by home favourite Marina Erakovic and Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. It is hard to go against Williams making it out of this section with ease. None of the players in the section have enough to beat the top seed

Prediction: Serena def. Ostapenko

Second Quarter:

Barbora Strycova returns to action after helping the Czech Fed Cup team to the title in 2016. If the fourth seed can get through her first round opponent, she will likely face compatriot Lucie Safarova in the second round. Safarova spent most of 2016 recovering from injuries, so she will aim to return to the top next year. Kiki Bertens is the other seed in the section, but I can not picture her upsetting Strycova or beating Safarova if the latter is in good form.

Prediction: Strycova def. Bertens

Third Quarter:

Wozniacki undoubtedly headlines the third section of the draw as she looks to once again become a top 10 player. The Dane opens against Nicole Gibbs in what could be quite a long battle. Varvara Lepchenko likely awaits the winner. Anastasia Pavlychenkova is always a dangerous player, but she has a tough opener herself against Julia Goerges. Danka Kovinic and Naomi Broady are also capable of making it to the quarter finals, but it will likely be the Russian that progresses only to lose to Wozniacki.

Prediction: Wozniacki def. Pavlyuchenkova

Fourth Quarter:

Whilst younger players are retiring, Venus just keeps playing on. 2017 could very well be her last season and she will love to kick it off with a tournament win here. It will be difficult though with plenty of young blood looking to upset the veteran. Naomi Osaka is a potential second round opponent, then Ana Konjuh is likely for the quarter finals. It is a good section full of dangerous players and I feel that Venus could exit early. As for who will it make it through, I think 2017 could be a big year for Osaka and Konjuh and either one of them could go through.

Prediction: Konjuh def.Osaka

Semi Finals:

Serena def. Strycova

Wozniacki def. Konjuh

If Serena is in good form, she will make the final undoubtedly. If not then Strycova has the awkward game that can frustrate the world number two and an upset could be sprung. I feel Serena will be out to prove she is the best in 2017 and use this tournament to send an early message to her rivals. Konjuh is a promising young player but Wozniacki is very consistent and very tough to beat. I can see a close match edged by Wozniacki.

Final:

Serena def. Wozniacki

The head to head speaks for itself. The Dane does not have the weapons to trouble Serena, and it will likely be a comfortable win for the top seed.

Brisbane

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Brisbane has been a regular stop on the first week of the season since 2009, and the fact it is a Premier level event means it draws the best players, including the world number one.

Top Quarter:

Angelique Kerber kicks off the 2017 season as the world number one (who would have thought that a year a go), so is under pressure to perform to the standard of 2016. The German starts her season against a qualifier or Ashleigh Barty in round two. Elina Svitolina is the other seed in this quarter and she has a tough opener against Monica Puig. The Ukrainian will be a player to watch this season and she aims to move into the top 10. There are plenty of good players in this quarter, but Kerber should advance. Svitolina is the biggest test the world number one will face, but one she will likely pass.

Prediction: Kerber def. Svitolina

 

Second Quarter:

Karolina Pliskova is heading into 2017 off the back of her best ever season in 2016. Not only did she make her first grand slam final, the Czech was also part of the Fed cup winning team that year. Pliskova will be aiming to build on that and perhaps go one further in a big event, but first she must focus on Brisbane. Yullia Putintseva is first followed by the winner of Donna Vekic vs qualifier. Roberta Vinci is the other seed in the section, but she is likely past her best and could be defeated by Ekaterina Makarova. Pliskova is easily the strongest player in this section and she should make it through without much trouble.

Prediction: Pliskova def. Makarova

 

Third Quarter:

Despite winning her maiden Grand Slam title, 2016 was a troubling year for Garbine Muguruza. She failed to find consistency and it seemed the core of what made her so dangerous diminished. The Spaniard will be hoping for a better 2017, but she has been drawn against Sam Stosur in the pick of the opening round matches. The Aussie does struggle in front of her home crowd though. Muguruza might get past Stosur but it is difficult to predict what happens next because we are unsure which version shows up. Svetlana Kuznetsova might be the favourite to make it out of this section,and she has got a good draw to do so.

Prediction: Kuznetsova def. Muguruza

 

Fourth Quarter:

Like Pliskova, Cibulkova is riding into 2017 full of confidence after her best ever season. The Slovak won the Tour Finals last year so knows she can defeat the top players. The question is can she remain consistent and defeat the lower ranked players? Laura Siegemund or Shuai Zhang will face the second seed in round two. Elena Vesnina is a dangerous player to be drawn into your section though, and she will be favoured to make the quarter finals over Alize Cornet, Christina McHale and Sara Errani. It is unlikely Cibulkova loses before the semi finals, but it could be a good match against Vesnina if the Russian is in good form.

Prediction: Cibulkova def. Vesnina

Semi Finals:

Kerber def. Pliskova

Cibulkova def. Kuznetsova

 Two very close matches and two in which I favour the higher ranked player. Pliskova has beaten Kerber in the past but the German has had the advantage more often than not. That is also the case between Cibulkova and Kuznetsova, though this one is very close on paper.

Final:

Kerber def. Cibulkova

It is difficult to look past Kerber. I can see her being too solid, too consistent for Cibulkova who we know is very capable of producing big performances.

Shenzhen

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Agnieszka Radwanska returns to Shenzhen to defend her title in a tournament that also features Simona Halep and Johanna Konta.

Top Quarter:

The top seed lands in a top section that on paper she should go through comfortably. Radwanska has drawn a Chinese wildcard in round one followed by a match with either Sorana Cirstea or Kristina Kucova. Alison Riskeis the other seed in the quarter and she also faces a Chinese wildcard in the opening round. Tsvetana Pironkova could provide the eighth seed problems, but it should be Radwanska who advances from this quarter.

Prediction: Radwanska def. Pironkova

 

Second Quarter:

 Timea Bacsinszky did not hit the heights of 2015, but she had a solid year to once again to finish inside the top 16. As the fourth seed here the Swiss will be expected to make the last four, but she faces a dangerous big hitter in Camila Giorgi in the opening round. Saisai Zheng will likely meet the winner, then you would expect Monica Niculescu to meet the winner of that in the quarter finals. The tricky Romanian’s most dangerous before the quarter finals is Evgeniya Rodina, but it is a match she should win. Bacsinszky vs Niculescu is an interesting match as Niculescu’s unusual style is a nightmare for many players, but Bacsinszky is a mature enough player to deal with the slices and come through.

Prediction: Bacsinszky def. Niculescu

Third Quarter:

Johanna Konta was arguably the most improved player of 2016, rising into the top 10. The Brit is one of the favourites in the tournament but could face a US Open rematch with Anastasija Sevastova in the quarter finals. First the Latvian must face the big serving Krystina Pliskova then Viktorija Golubic in the second round. Konta meets Cagla Buyukakcy then the winner of Vania King and Maria Sakkari. It will be a shock if we do not see the rematch and surely this time Konta will be able to get the win.

Prediction: Konta def. Sevastova

Bottom Quarter:

 Simona Halep will be disappointed that she failed to win her maiden Grand Slam in 2016, but a new year could mean new beginnings for the Romanian. She faces former world number one Jelena Jankovic In the most high profile round one match, but it is one Halep should win. Big server Timea Babos lands in this quarter as the fifth seeded player. The Hungarian has a great draw to the quarter finals with her first two opponents being qualifiers. The Babos vs Halep match should happen and in this contest you will have to favour the second seed.

Prediction: Halep def. Babos

 Semi Finals:

Radwanska def. Bacsinszky

Halep def. Konta

Radwanska being a little too much for her Swiss opponent is a lot easier to call than the other semi final which you feel could go either way. Halep is the more accomplished player though so should be favoured in this match-up.

Final:

Radwanska def. Halep

Radwanska will be too tricky for Halep. The Pole won here last year, so she knows these courts and how to play them. Expect 2017 to start positively for Radwanska with a title win in the opening week.

2016 @USOpen Women’s Preview

Posted by Admin on August 29, 2016
Posted in: Niall Clarke, US Open. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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2016 US Open Women’s Preview
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

The US Open is turning out to be one of the most fascinating tournaments in a long time. There is more than a Grand Slam title at stake. Four players are in the running to finish the tournament as the world number one. So many players, so many stories, we can’t wait.

US Open
Tier: Grand Slam
Location: New York, USA
Surface: Hard
Date: August 29- September 11

Top eight seeds

1. Serena Williams
2. Angelique Kerber
3. Garbine Muguruza
4. Agnieszka Radwanska
5. Simona Halep
6. Venus Williams
7. Roberta Vinci
8. Madison Keys

First round matches to watch

(1)Serena Williams vs Ekaterina Makarova : There could have hardly been a more dangerous round one player to draw than Makarova, and it just so happens it is Serena that has got her.

The Russian is a former semi finalist here, and holds a Grand Slam victory over the world number one. There is a lot of pressure on Serena with her status as the top ranked player in the game under serious scrutiny, and her attempt to match Margaret Court’s Grand Slam record.

It is rare that the top seed draws such a dangerous unseeded player, but in this case it certainly rings true. Makarova is a lefty which provides extra awkwardness for the American, and when at her best she is a top 10 player. She was ranked there not too long ago.

But the match is on Serena’s racket as usual. If the world number one can kick start her tournament with a win over a very good opponent then that will no doubt boost her form for later rounds.

(5) Simona Halep vs Kirsten Flipkens: Halep is projected to face Serena in the quarter finals, but she also must not look past the opening round where she faces a dangerous opponent.

Flipkens might not be the most consistent player out there, but she has an unusual game that can trouble anyone. Whilst the WTA is full of powerful hitters, Flipkens builds her game around finesse.

But for all her awkwardness, Halep does boast a good record over the Belgian. The Romanian has won all four of their previous meetings, but this is their first for two years.

Draw analysis

Serena’s quarter: There is usually an air of certainty that surrounds Serena and Grand Slams, but this US Open is anything but. Williams will have to fight for her ranking as well as chasing a 23rd Grand Slam. Makarova is a player you don’t want to face in the opening round and could arguably be her biggest test of the first week. 29th seed Ana Ivanovic is in no form and may face an early exit of her own. Sam Stosur, who famously defeated Serena to win her maiden major title here 5 years a go, will likely be the next big test of this US Open. The Aussie herself faces the unpredictable Camila Giorgi first, then there is a possible round three against Daria Kasatkina. A win for Serena in the last 16 will leave her one win away from even being in contention to finish the tournament as the world number one.

Halep could dash those hopes. The Romanian has been drawn in the same quarter as Serena and comes into the US Open in good form- her decision to skip the Olympics may turn out to be a good one as she aims for her first Grand Slam title. It is a tough draw with Flipkens first, then either Lucie Safarova or Daria Gavrilova in the second round. Big serving Timea Babos is the first seeded player Halep is due to face. Carla Suarez Navarro could set up a intriguing fourth round match-up. The 11th seed has a good draw ahead of her with 19th seed Elena Vesnina being the biggest test before Halep.

Radwanska’s quarter: The Pole has seemingly recovered from her poor Olympic showing after reaching the final of New Haven last week. But can her deep run in Connecticut be a hindrance to her chances? There is a possibility of fatigue and that could play a factor as she reaches the seeded players. Caroline Garcia is the one she is projected to face first, but the Frenchwoman is a little out of sorts, so it could end up being Eugenie Bouchard instead. It does not get any easier as Timea Bacsinszky, who holds a 2-0 head to head record over the fourth seed, is scheduled to meet Radwanska in the fourth round. The Swiss is due to face Kiki Bertens in round three, but she could find herself undone by rising youngster Ana Konjuh. Radwanska will realistically have to win the US open to stand a chance of becoming world number one, and there are some banana skins in that draw.

The possibility of another potential Williams sisters clash in New York has grown with the draw. They will meet in the semi finals, providing all goes well from their family’s perspective. Venus has a few dangerous players in her draw, but her run will likely not come under threat until the fourth round. Karolina Pliskova has struggled to translate her tour form to Grand Slams, but her confidence is sky high after winning in Cincinnati two weeks ago. The Czech could come unstuck against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the third round, but the Russian has a few youngsters in Louisa Chirico and Kristina Mladenovic to face first.

Muguruza’s quarter: Outside of her French Open title win, little much positive can be said about Muguruza’s form this year. However, she is still in contention to be the number one player in the world after the US Open, and comes into New York with nothing to defend. The Spaniard’s opening two matches should be straight forward, but Monica Puig could possibly await in the third round, and she is fresh off winning Olympic gold. Johanna Konta has also landed in this section, and she is looking to repeat last year’s success here. The Brit faces American wild-card Bethanie Mattek-Sands in an interesting round one affair, then it will likely be Tsvetana Pironkova in round two. Konta could faces the recovering Belinda Bencic, who has been injured throughout the year, in the third round. A win there could possibly set up another Big Apple meeting with Muguruza, who she upset last year.

Many people are tipping Keys to have a big tournament in a home slam, and there is no reason why she can not. The American can match anyone for power, and she is constantly growing mentally. She will have All-American clashes in the opening two rounds, with potential for a big serving battle with another compatriot Coco Vandeweghe in the third. Svetlana Kuznetsova is slated to meet the eighth seed in the round of 16, but the Russian could be locked in a feisty tussle with Barbora Strycova in round three. Caroline Wozniacki has also landed in this section, and is scheduled to face Kuznetsova in the second round.

Kerber’s quarter: In the race for the number one ranking, Kerber goes in as the favourite. She has not many points to defend, and if she is in good form she should beat her round three result of last year. Alize Cornet and Mirjana Lucic-Baroni are dangerous opponents, and one of them will meet the German in the second round. Sara Errani should be a victory in the third round for Kerber, but it is the fourth where things get really interesting. Petra Kvitova has been drawn in this section along with the in form Elina Svitolina. On her day, Kvitova can beat anyone and storm to the title, on another she could easily lose in her opening match. Svitolina is fresh off her New Haven final run, but there will be questions on how much of a physical toll that has taken on her.

Vinci ended up pulling off the biggest upset of last year by defeating Serena and thus ended her calendar year grand slam conquest. The Italian would go on to lose the final to the now retired Flavia Pennetta, but that will always remain as a career highlight. Vinci has failed to really build on that form, and it is unlikely she will repeat last year’s success. There are some dangerous player in her section such as Christina McHale and Mona Barthel. Misaki Doi is the first seeded opponent the Italian will face, but the seventh seed’s tournament is likely to end in the fourth round. Dominika Cibulkova, a player who has re-climbed the rankings this year, is the round four opponent. The Slovakian has a good draw to player her way in to form too, with the out of sorts Irina Begu being the biggest threat.

Predictions:

Round of 16:
Serena def. Stosur
Halep def. Suarez Navarro
Radwanska def. Bacsinszky
Venus def. Pavlyuchenkova
Keys def. Kuznetsova
Konta def. Puig
Cibulkova def. Vinci
Kerber def. Svitolina

Quarterfinals:
Serena def. Halep
Venus def. Radwanska
Keys def. Konta
Kerber def. Cibulkova

Semifinals:
Serena def. Venus
Keys def. Kerber

Final:
Serena def. Keys
It is such a difficult tournament to predict, and when in doubt, you have to choose Serena. She always rises to the occasion, and with all the pressure on her, providing she is fit and healthy, she should do the same here. Venus has a decent draw to the semi finals which will set up the showdown with her sister. Kerber will feel the pressure of becoming the world number one and will ultimately stumble to Keys. The young American will not have enough, however, to overcome Serena.

It’s a Monsoon of @CincyTennis Press Conferences

Posted by Admin on August 17, 2016
Posted in: ATP, Cincinnati, Western & Southern Open, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

It’s a Monsoon of @CincyTennis Press Conferences
Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic

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Andy Murray

It’s been a very rainy year for pro tennis and I hope you weren’t expect anything different at the Western & Southern Open in Mason, Ohio on Tuesday. Nearly four inches of rain fell in a 30-hour span between Sunday and Monday, and Andy Murray perfectly jinxed the place in his afternoon presser today. When asked about his exhaustion following the marathon gold medal match, he replied, “Hopefully, we’ll get a few days of rain here.”

Typical British humor, but a pox upon this house.

Murray got another zinger in when I asked him if he’d brought the gold medal to Cincinnati. “I came directly here. I wasn’t going to leave it in Brazil”, he responded in perfect Muzzerese.

With more rain, it was a good day to sit around in an interview room as the players provided the entertainment while seated. But it was an even better day to be Juan Martin Del Potro, who nabbed a wild card to the U.S. Open. After Steve Johnson suggested yesterday that it would be America’s loss if the silver medalist gained direct entry, Rafael Nadal summed up the other players thoughts perfectly: “He’s a U.S. Open winner. He deserves it.”

Kei Nishikori and Andy Murray also agreed that the Delpo decision was a just one. Nishikori was the first up in the main interview room on the third floor of the stadium. He was in high spirits, though it’s always so subtle. I asked him if he had the bronze medal with him. He responded that he had stopped at home, presumably in Florida, and left it there and followed it up by saying “I hope nobody takes it.”

That’s Nishikori in a very, very good mood.

It’s simple: If Angelique Kerber wins the Western & Southern Open, she’s the #1 player in the world for the first time in her life and a new #1 for the first time in 183 weeks. Serena William’s withdrawal makes all of this possible, and remember, Williams accepted a wild card here likely in large part to stay ahead of Kerber in the rankings. 

The German silver medalist discussed an Olympic-heavy variety of topics in her press conference.

Tournament officials have done a nice job of getting in every possible point of tennis in the extremely bad weather. Much of the parking at the event has been rendered useless due to mud that’s reminiscent of Woodstock, if I only I was there.

I had to have my car pushed out of the mud twice by guys with no shoes on successive days, since their footwear had become lodged in the mud while pushing out other vehicles earlier in the day. 

God Bless Tournament Director Andre Silva on his maiden voyage of the Good Ship Cincy. It’s been heavy seas, but he’s kept the action running whenever and wherever it can run. Today’s forecast could also be problematic, but conditions should improve for Thursday.

Here’s today’s slightly ambitious order of play and yesterday’s results:

RESULTS – Tuesday, August 16
ATP Singles – First Round
[9] Gael Monfils (France) d Pablo Carreno Busta (Spain) 6-3 6-4
[11] David Goffin (Belgium) d [Q] Nikoloz Basilashvili (Georgia) 7-5 6-3
[13] Richard Gasquet (France) d [LL] Adrian Mannarino (France) 7-6(2) 3-6 6-1
[16] Feliciano Lopez (Spain) d [Q] Mischa Zverev (Germany) 6-3 6-1
John Isner (USA) d Fabio Fognini (Italy) 6-3 6-2
Steve Johnson (USA) d Federico Delbonis (Argentina) 6-4 7-5
[WC] Fernando Verdasco (Spain) d Albert Ramos-Vinolas (Spain) 7-6(5) 6-4
Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus) d Vasek Pospisil (Canada) 7-5 7-5
Bernard Tomic (Australia) d Joao Sousa (Portugal) 6-4 6-3
[Q] Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) d [WC] Taylor Fritz (USA) 6-1 6-3
[Q] John Millman (Australia) d [Q] Malek Jaziri (Tunisia) 6-4 5-7 6-3

WTA Singles – Second Round
[15] Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic) d Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia) 6-4 6-1

WTA Singles – First Round
Barbora Strycova (Czech Republic) d [Q] Eugenie Bouchard (Canada) 6-4 6-0
[LL] Tsvetana Pironkova (Bulgaria) d Daria Kasatkina (Russia) 6-1 6-1
[Q] Alize Cornet (France) d Kiki Bertens (Netherlands) 7-6(1) 6-3
[Q] Alison Riske (USA) d [Q] Varvara Flink (Russia) 6-4 7-6(6)
[Q] Timea Babos (Hungary) d [WC] Louisa Chirico (USA) 6-4 6-4
[Q] Annika Beck (Germany) d Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan) 6-2 6-3

WTA Doubles – First Round
Sara Errani (Italy) / Carla Suárez Navarro (Spain) d Raluca Olaru (Romania) / Renata Voracova (Czech Republic) 6-3 6-2
Maria Irigoyen (Argentina) / Oksana Kalashnikova (Georgia) d Lyudmyla Kichenok (Ukraine) / Nadiia Kichenok (Ukraine) 6-4 2-6 10-3

ORDER OF PLAY – Wednesday, August 17
CENTER COURT – 11:00 am start
WTA – [Q] Annika Beck (Germany) vs [3] Simona Halep (Romania)
[WC] Jared Donaldson (USA) vs [2] Stan Wawrinka (Switzerland) 62 03 To Finish
ATP – [4] Milos Raonic (Canada) vs John Isner (USA)
ATP – Pablo Cuevas (Uruguay) vs [3] Rafael Nadal (Spain)
Not Before 7:00 pm
WTA – [Q] Kateryna Bondarenko (Ukraine) or Kristina Mladenovic (France) vs [2] Angelique Kerber (Germany)
Not Before 8:30 pm
ATP – [1] Andy Murray (GBR) vs Ivo Karlovic (Croatia) or [PR] Juan Monaco (Argentina)

GRANDSTAND start 11:00 am
ATP – [Q] Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) vs [5] Kei Nishikori (Japan)
Not Before 1:00 pm
Andrea Petkovic (Germany) vs Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) 11 to finish
WTA – [Q] Donna Vekic (Croatia) vs [10] Johanna Konta (Great Britain)
WTA – [4] Garbine Muguruza (Spain) vs C. Vandeweghe (USA)
Not Before 7:00 pm
ATP – [6] Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) vs [Q] Jiri Vesely (Czech Republic) or Marcel Granollers (Spain)

STADIUM 3 start 11:00 am
ATP – [Q] John Millman (Australia) vs [8] Dominic Thiem (Austria)
ATP – [7] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France) vs [WC] Reilly Opelka (USA)
ATP – [9] Gael Monfils (France) vs Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus)
ATP – [14] Nick Kyrgios (Australia) vs Borna Coric (Croatia)
Not Before 7:00 pm
WTA – [5] Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) vs Andrea Petkovic (Germany) or Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic)

COURT 9 start 11:00 am
WTA – [6] Roberta Vinci (Italy) vs [LL] Tsvetana Pironkova (Bulgaria)
WTA – [LL] Johanna Larsson (Sweden) vs Irina-Camelia Begu (Romania) 00 to finish
ATP – [16] Feliciano Lopez (Spain) vs Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria)
WTA – [Q] Alison Riske (USA) vs [7] Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia)
WTA – [LL] Johanna Larsson (Sweden) or Irina-Camelia Begu (Romania) vs [8] Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia)

COURT 4 – 11:00 am start
ATP – [Q] Yuichi Sugita (Japan) vs Alexander Zverev (Germany)
ATP – Ivo Karlovic (Croatia) vs [PR] Juan Monaco (Argentina) 46 35 to finish
WTA – [17] Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) vs [Q] Daria Gavrilova (Australia)
ATP – [11] David Goffin (Belarus) vs Bernard Tomic (Australia)
ATP – Kevin Anderson (South Africa) vs [13] Richard Gasquet (France)
ATP – [Q] Yuichi Sugita (Japan) or Alexander Zverev (Germany) vs Nicolas Mahut (France) or [15] Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)

COURT 6 – 11:00 am start
WTA – [13] Belinda Bencic (Switzerland) vs [Q] Timea Babos (Hungary)
WTA – [LL] Viktorija Golubic (Switzerland) vs [Q] Kurumi Nara (Japan)
WTA – [Q] Alize Cornet (France) vs [9] Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP)
Not Before 2:00 pm
REMAINING FIRST ROUND WTA DOUBLES TO BE ARRANGED

COURT 7 – 11:00 am start
WTA – [LL] Misaki Doi (Japan) vs [WC] Christina McHale (USA)
WTA – [Q] Kateryna Bondarenko (Ukraine) vs Kristina Mladenovic (France) 67(1) 01 to finish
WTA – [14] Samantha Stosur (Australia) vs Barbora Strycova (Czech Republic)
WTA – [12] Timea Bacsinszky (Switzerland) vs Lesia Tsurenko (Ukraine)
Not Before 2:00 pm
REMAINING FIRST ROUND ATP DOUBLES TO BE ARRANGED

COURT 10 – 11:00 am start
ATP – Nicolas Mahut (France) vs [15] Roberto Bautista Agut (Spain)
[Q] Jiri Vesely (Czech Republic) vs Marcel Granollers (Spain) 33
ATP – Steve Johnson (USA) vs [PR] Julien Benneteau (France)
ATP – [WC] Fernando Verdasco (Spain) vs [12] Marin Cilic (Croatia)
WTA – [LL] Viktorija Golubic (Switzerland) or [Q] Kurumi Nara (Japan) vs [16] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia)